Published on Thursday, May 7, 2026
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Thousands of residents in Costa Rica’s Heredia province are seeing significant improvements in their tap water supply following the launch of a new large-scale storage tank and pipeline system, the Water and Sanitation Institute (AyA) announced.

According to authorities, the new storage tank, which has a capacity of 500 cubic meters of water, was built in the district of Tirol, in the canton of San Rafael, Heredia province.

Officials said the facility will benefit about 5,000 residents and double the area’s previous water distribution capacity.

The project, financed by AyA at a cost of approximately $872,000, was designed to provide the Tirol community with more reliable access to safe drinking water for at least the next 20 years.

The project was developed by the Heredia Public Services Company (ESPH). This public institution provides essential services including drinking water, wastewater, sanitation, electricity and street lighting, primarily in that province.


Nationwide, Costa Rica provides 97.8% drinking water coverage for human use and consumption, according to AyA, which serves a population of about 5 million people.

Authorities encouraged residents who suspect contamination in their tap water to contact AyA’s toll-free 10-digit hotline at 800-737-6783.

The improvements in Heredia follow similar infrastructure projects completed elsewhere in the country. Recently, officials built a new storage tank in San José to improve access to drinking water for approximately 100,000 residents.

AyA, a state-owned utility operating under the Ministry of Health, directly manages 180 water systems that serve 46% of Costa Rica’s population, primarily in urban areas.

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